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E33: Hard Candy (Review and Song Ranking) Part II
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Eric, Chris, Geoff, "Hard Brent" and "Bris-Vegas Rob" give their insights and thoughts about what they feel are the best songs from the Crows 4th album--Hard Candy.
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Transcript
Introduction to Part Two of Hard Candy Discussion
00:00:00
Speaker
Hey, it's Eric here from Sullivan Street. In case you didn't read the description, this is part two of our Hard Candy song ranking and deep dive. So ah listen to part one first or not if you only want us to focus on what we think are the best songs from one of Counting Crow's best albums, Hard Candy.
Top Five Songs and Live Experiences
00:00:34
Speaker
Rob, you also had Holiday in Spain in your top five. So let's hear about that. Yeah, I had Holiday in Spain in my top three. um For me, this is I think I had a really good experience with this song live originally.
00:00:49
Speaker
um the the The lyrics of, hop on my choo-choo, I'll be your engine driver in a bunny suit. Just the joy that Adam gets when he's singing that. You can see him, sometimes he gives you the bunny ears. It's just a real beautiful moment. And like you said, they call it the lullaby. it the The piano in it is absolutely stunning.
00:01:10
Speaker
um I agree with Jeff that lyrically it is it it's up there with, you know, long December quality of lyric. It's just such a... and know we've got sort of Four White Stallions and a few other songs that are on there at the back, but it's such a beautiful way to end an album.
00:01:27
Speaker
And even the ending of that song is the ending to an album. it's just It's just perfect. All right, great. Let's go to Brent. You had about the middle.
00:01:39
Speaker
let's see what you had to say. Yeah, I had it in the middle. um It's funny you bring up the lyric to hop on my choo-choo. That's the part of the song i really don't like.
00:01:47
Speaker
But, you know, it's it's a good it's definitely a good song for sure. um It's kind of formulaic, which to me I think is why I don't love it. It's actually a song I probably have skipped a lot just because it is such a basic song and in my opinion, but I totally understand why you would really like it.
00:02:03
Speaker
um The interesting experience I have with this song, I don't know if you guys have had the same, um you know, girls I dated are just friends. My current wife, every girl or woman I've ever known that's heard the song has absolutely loved it.
00:02:15
Speaker
um it It's, it seems almost like this is to some extent, our song that was either written for women or something that women just really seem to like. um And so I appreciate that. Cause I don't know if there's another song I would say that about over the first three albums, but perhaps that's just my experience.
Song Perfection and Emotional Depth
00:02:31
Speaker
Cool. It's kind of a gently mean song. Interestingly, it's like, Yeah. but Chris, let's go to you and then i'll give my. Yeah. No, I had I had a number six. i actually was I kind of thought it would be higher going into it.
00:02:44
Speaker
um I think and and ultimately it's one of those things. I had this with a couple of songs in this record where I kind of think they've perfected the song live. And so sometimes like going back to the recorded version.
00:02:57
Speaker
feels ever so slightly lesser, even though I think, again, I think it's amazing. so i' I've never upset about hearing them close a ah show with it. um I really love the part. Again, I really love the version with Blof, the Dutch band.
00:03:12
Speaker
um i One of my absolute favorite sort of things of in the sort of Crows catalog is the outro of that where Adam is singing those additional lyrics as sort of counterpoint, you know, um like making the best of all that's left of me. I think it's i love that.
00:03:30
Speaker
um It's a beautiful, and but I mean, and I love Mexico. i love going there. I love i love the song. um i love also that this is, again, we talk about like sort of being a subtly mean song.
00:03:42
Speaker
Um... you know, it's a miracle that, you know, it's a miracle that she's not living up in a tree is it's a reference to monkey, right? It's a, it's a delayed dig at Courtney Cox, which I've always just sort of, that he's just sort of, you know, she's a little better than the one that used to be with me. That other one from that other song that just, and I like that. It's just, it's subtle.
00:04:04
Speaker
It's subtle. funny too, because that would have been like six or seven years ago at this point. And he's still singing about it. It's a song about, it's an album about memory. I said, if, if Taylor Swift ah wrote and released holiday in Spain this year, they would give her 10 Grammys.
00:04:21
Speaker
Yeah, that that's probably, that's probably, seriously you know, but yeah, have Taylor Swift do this song from her perspective, same lyrics, same song, put it out right now. 10 Grammys. Greatest song she ever wrote.
00:04:33
Speaker
Jeff, as a historian for the band, do you know why why wasn't this song released as a single? To some extent. I'm not the historian. Not at all. and No, I don't know. I mean, you know, again, the I wonder to what degree, as as others have sort of talked about, the you know record company gets involved in in those sorts of, you know, things. So I don't know.
Cultural Impact and Clever Lyrics
00:04:54
Speaker
you know well And Brent, your point, because of Bluff, it became ah basically a single in japan and ah in in all of Europe. And, you know, the Brits like to take their holiday in Spain and...
00:05:05
Speaker
and Right. The Spanish people like to be like, like that the songs written about them and they sing the song and the Dutch like it because the fluff sings on it. So, yeah, I know that's one of the most popular songs that they play overseas.
00:05:18
Speaker
And it's become more popular you know the US as they started playing it at the end of memory concert. And I think, oh, it's kind of catchy. I mean, Brent, to your point. I think you're both a lot. of I think you're all right. Like Jeff, I, I actually think it's either the best or second best lyrics on the album. Maybe they're anyway, it's in the top three lyrics and it, and in some of ways of being both literal and figurative, it kind of reminds me of Mrs. Potter's lullaby a little bit, the lyrics, the way he's constructing the lyrics. And we all said that those are the best lyrics from this desert life.
00:05:49
Speaker
um I also agree with you, Brent, that I had it number six, partly because it is a, bit of a simple song and that maybe other people could have recorded it in ways that I think some of the songs I had in the top five, they could not.
00:06:02
Speaker
But but it's great. i None of you talked about. I mean, it it's I think he's being somewhat literal, too, about his partying and issues with alcohol, too. And he was a big party guy. And I've seen him at least once at a concert where he was totally drunk.
00:06:18
Speaker
um and you know in i don't know how old he would have been at this time maybe like 37 or something yeah late 30s um yeah and um i think he was sometimes with right in maybe mexico or somewhere with his girlfriend and you know partying all night and like whatever you know whatever happens and you know waking up with alcohol but uh no fantastic song and uh yeah i had it Number six. And I do appreciate.
Vocal Performances and Emotional High Notes
00:06:46
Speaker
Oh, one thing I do want to say, and I don't know to your point, Chris, about the, I don't know if it's the way they play it live, but, and it's, and I couldn't find, cause they, somebody either deleted or erased. I know the one that they did in the Sydney opera house really showed this and that is gone now.
00:07:02
Speaker
But one thing that they used to do live and they kind of do it now. And what makes me love this song is that, um, that It's almost like every band member comes in sequentially. Right. Yeah. but It starts with just him.
00:07:19
Speaker
And then right. And then you have just the piano. And then right. there And then a little later, Jim comes in and then it ends with Bryson at the end. And in the Sydney Opera House version, they gave each band member their own spotlight when they came in.
00:07:32
Speaker
yeah and to me i love that so much where everybody was getting highlighted at the part that they came in and it's um oh it just ah almost made me cry speak yeah speaking of the thought the light the ending though i would be remiss in not mentioning that it is one of my absolute favorite things that at the at the end of the bridge where he says uh catch a plane to barcelona because the city's a drag um anytime they play new york He says, not this city.
00:08:00
Speaker
Now, other other bands would be like would do that everywhere. right he They only do that in New York. and Maybe they've done a couple, maybe Dublin. I think there's a couple other places where they've done it. But it's not an every night thing where he's like, no, this city is great. to be so yeah I, as a as a native New Yorker, I appreciate that.
00:08:20
Speaker
um but Every time I hear him do it. hear him do it so And I love Jeff. I guess you didn't say this in particular, but even just the last part of take a holiday in Spain and just like where he it's almost like in a way it's a callback to Mr. Jones, right? When he oh, if everybody's going to love me, if I'm rock and roll star, but he knows that that's not really true.
00:08:42
Speaker
And then. a little bit. He has that here where like take a holiday, like if you take a holiday in Spain, leave your wings but like the holiday and holiday is going to solve everything. And of course it's not. And he'll probably just fly away to somebody new and and getting drunk and going on these vacations. They're not going to solve all his girl problems, even if it does in the short term.
00:09:01
Speaker
So, yeah. Anyway, fantastic, fantastic song. Yeah. And I probably would have had it maybe even Anyway, the song has grown on me through the years. I always liked it, but it's even fun. It could have been my number one. it's I think it's a matt real masterpiece.
00:09:17
Speaker
but Okay. So let's go to... Oh, and it's, by the way, second of the three songs. Maybe I've talked about all of them now. Yes. so it I don't want to say Beatles-esque, but if if you wanted to create perfect pop songs, in my opinion, or i shouldn't say perfect. If you wanted to create like short little pop songs with no filler or whatever, to me, the only three he really did that was, I guess we didn't talk about the third yet, but Butterfly in Reverse, Holiday in Spain, and a third one coming up.
00:09:46
Speaker
Okay, so but it's actually this one. So this song was, okay, this is the one that I maybe either ruined or I had the song like number two and then moved it to number seven. Some of you actually had it number one or two.
00:10:01
Speaker
I thought this was the song that I was going to be the outlier and it ends up everybody really likes this song and we need to hear it more live. Why should you come when I call? And I also think that this is Beatles ask in a perfect pop song and this of those trilogy of what he wanted to do.
00:10:18
Speaker
But let's go to the person who had it the highest, which is oh Chris had it number one. i had it almost number two, Chris. But anyway, please talk about Chris while you love this song and you're muted.
00:10:31
Speaker
Yeah, this is such a great fucking song. This is like, this was one of my, like, what when I was in my this is of my favorite songs. It's still, I hadn't thought about that. I honestly hadn't thought about this song as much recently. And when I heard it again, i was like, I was like, i actually going into this, I was like, I wonder, am I going to like this song again at you know, 41 as much as I did when I was 19, 20, 21.
00:10:56
Speaker
And the answer is yes, because this song is incredible. Like it's so, the ending part, the outro, might be one of Adam's best recorded vocals. Like the way he belts, Why Should You Come When I Call, is spectacular. And the band behind him is spectacular. And it's just an incredible peak. It's a truly incredible moment sort of on the record,
00:11:21
Speaker
um I also from a lyric again, this is like a really incredible lyric when you break it down. Right. Because like as it's it's a song about booty calls. Okay. It's a song about booty calls, but it's a song about booty calls.
00:11:34
Speaker
That's both incredibly joyous and incredibly sad At the same time, it's both a sort of a thing that's sort of triumphant, but also incredibly accusatory towards himself.
00:11:47
Speaker
Like the idea that you could feel all of these things and express them in this song, in one lyric, is honestly incredible. Like where he gets to, um you know, like... a you could do you could do better, like, if you think about it, anyone's better than me is an incredibly sad thing to say in a song where then a minute later he is belting. It is so good. and They've only played the song live, at least that are captured on setlist.fm 15 times. All of them were in 2008 to 2010 when they had Augustana with them.
00:12:21
Speaker
Yes. Bless them. I was thankfully, i I double checked. I was there for three of them because they did a bunch of it. They did a few times when they were in New York on that run and I went to see all of the traveling circus and medicine medicine shows. Thank God.
00:12:32
Speaker
They need to bring, again If every time guys, if you're listening, which you're almost certainly not, but if you are the next time you think and to put good time in a set list, just, just look down the list and put, why should you come when I call them there? I know it's gotta to be hard to sing.
00:12:48
Speaker
There's so many vocals find people from the opening band or something. I don't know. Get a big chorus out there. Round people up, do this song. Cause it will kill. It's so good.
00:12:59
Speaker
Number one. ah that's That's great. And I'm going to talk more. Jeff's shocked by this, that that people love this song. i um I guess I'll just say, since I already said I did love it, and the reason I moved it from number two to seven is Might be two things, I guess, even though I love it. It's that, again, somebody else could have written this song, I think. And I don't want to it away, were some of the other songs I had higher? think they could. Lyrically, I don't think anyone else would write that. Yeah, you might be right. I don't think anyone else gets to there, maybe.
00:13:33
Speaker
personally. and And even though I appreciate the the good booty call song, I also, I thought some of the other maybe deeper lyrics of some of the other songs that I had higher hit me a little more.
00:13:46
Speaker
But I agree with you, um Chris, to make your point, and then I'll move to the next person. The only song that I think, how did you call his vocals at the end? It wasn't just a crescendo, but The climax, I mean, it's a climax. Right, no pun intended, right, about the booty call.
00:14:02
Speaker
So um the only song that I think rivals that is the end of St. Robinson's And got A Cadillac Dream. ah That ending also, we can't do that those high notes ah anymore. But those are the only two that I think his vocal performance at the end of the song matches. Let's go to, I'm leaving Jeff for last because I don't want to hear negative. Nelly. So let's go to um the other two had it in the mid, which was Rob. You had it like about number six, I think. So, yeah.
00:14:33
Speaker
Yeah, it's it's only number six by default. As I say, those top five are removable for me. um But I 100% agree with Chris about the the vocal performance of Adam, especially at the end.
00:14:46
Speaker
It's just it's it's hairs on the back of your neck kind of good. just like You know it's coming and you're listening to car and the build is there. and it's just sex And like you say, a song about a booty call shouldn't be that good and self-deprecating at the same time.
00:15:01
Speaker
It's just a wonderful song. um yeah i don't have much more say on it than that I just want to say how negative Jeff is yeah yeah chris nova Chris thank you before I go to Brent but thank you for saying how that that maybe also like Holiday in Spain how it's like sneaky complex, right? That both of the lyrics, maybe this even more, it seems like it's simpler. You're right. It's it's more complex than than it might first appear.
00:15:27
Speaker
Yeah. Well, because I think that's the thing. I think, yeah, the in in the hands of a lesser band, this would be a very cringy song and it would be real sad, honestly. And like in the in in Adam Duritz, this is why I'm was's my my favorite band, right? Like, you know, when there was a time my life where that might happen,
00:15:46
Speaker
Right? ah you you may I don't know. You're like, um what do I think of myself, honestly? What do I think of this situation? Why should you come when I call? I don't know. You had this. Oh, so sorry, Brent. I misunderstood you. You had this. Also, you had this number two. i remember I wrote you about this when you, or I was hinting about it when you sent me your list. So, Brent, you were up with Chris saying this is one of the best songs on the album. And again, shocked me.
00:16:10
Speaker
So please talk about it. I love this song. And Chris and I, we see totally eye to eye. I think the the reasons you like it are the exact same reasons I like it. It was between one and two for me. um I think it's conceptually just an incredibly interesting song to write, which is, you know, why why would someone hook up with me? It's just such an interesting idea. um And I can't think of any other artists that does this type of self-deprecating slash joyous song.
00:16:34
Speaker
um From the bridge to the end to me is the best part of the album, ah both vocally and musically. I just love it. And if we want to get Vanessa Carlton involved, this would have been the song to do. You have her say, because nothing makes me feel so good. You have the female vocals come in.
00:16:51
Speaker
um I'm actually surprised as much as they were having ah vocal artists come in on these songs that they didn't try that, or maybe they did. ah But there's definitely an opportunity there. But yeah, Chris, basically, I'm just echoing you. Great song.
00:17:05
Speaker
That's a good point, Brent. As good as his his performance is, I don't think it would have been detracted by having another artist. And you're you're right. If there's any song, never heard that. there's any song that Vanessa Carlton should have been on, it's this one. And that's one of the reasons Augustana, that's one of the reasons he wanted to play with other people, I think, to have them on the harmony with it.
00:17:23
Speaker
ah Jeff, let's let's go to you.
Emotional Connection and Song Crafting
00:17:25
Speaker
You didn't have it. ah You had it number 10. Well, you had it below New Frontier, and we already talked about your feelings of that song. Yeah. Right. Number 10. Wow. OK, well, and I will say this, first of all, I really don't like hate this song or dislike this song or or have negative things to say about this song. I agree 100 percent that Adam's vocal performance at the end is incredible, you know, and he's one of my favorite singers. And so, you know, ah you know, to me here and and I think the harmonies are so cool, like the, you know, the
00:17:59
Speaker
this is that sort of beach boys harmony. This is what is stands out so much about hard candy is now one of the things that I think that where they really, um, had developed this thing with the harmonies over all of the albums. And, you know, it's really coming out on desert life, but here you have, you know, like on this album, they're you, the way that they used harmonies and this song is an example of that, you know, is so unique and interesting and stuff. So, um,
00:18:26
Speaker
you know For me, I felt like this was a song where what I don't like about it is that I just felt like the core of the song um was a bit underdeveloped. It was another song where it's like they they had spent some more time working on the like just the core of the song. And I guess I mean like the melodies and the you know kind of what was what they the foundation of it.
00:18:47
Speaker
Because it seems like this was a song where... There was so much going on with the production. They kept adding and adding and adding and piling on instruments and harmonies and all this stuff. And it was cool. But to me, it's like it just didn't quite get across the finish line. look What they were trying to achieve with this song, to me,
00:19:05
Speaker
but because I, I just am not super into the core of the song is why, um it didn't make it, but I do appreciate it as one of the like great production pieces on the album. I appreciate it as one of Adam's great vocal performances. And so, um, it's not a song that for me,
00:19:23
Speaker
um I'm going to be like I ever connected to that much, I guess. And and um I guess that's why. But I certainly wouldn't diss anybody who would rank it um highly because um I appreciate everything, all the comments about it. And also there is a lot to like about this song for sure.
00:19:43
Speaker
How about that? That was like the nicest number 10 I've ever given. It's hard for you to relate with. When somebody is as good looking as you, you're already going to get a question. Well, no, Jeff was- so He relates the song about Nicole Kidman's dating life. Yeah, right. He actually, there were the rumors, he was actually really worried the tabloids were going to come out about that. and It's just, they could stayed under the radar, but he gets it.
00:20:06
Speaker
and Well, I was going make a joke, Jeff, right. As someone who's always been into committed relationships like yourself and has a daughter that you don't want to subscribe to hookup culture, you're against the lyrics of this song. No, no, no. i It's not not about that. But, yeah. No, some great points. So so we're in the top five, by the way. Number five. And then here's one that you'll appreciate, Jeff. So this is the one that I think you...
00:20:28
Speaker
you actually, I hated to do this, but you actually made me adjust one of mine indirectly, but I'm glad I did. i don't regret it. Um, cause the song that you had ranked very high. And then because sometimes I got, i get to thinking, and and there's a couple songs on this, like, how do I, you know, i want to separate the song from, oh am I sick of hearing it live? Or do I like it as much as I did in the beginning, but really think about how the craft and just everything I got to look to go back 25 years.
00:20:57
Speaker
So which leads us to number four. This a song. This was actually Jeff's number one. So he's going to know what I'm getting at it. Well, two of us had it in the middle and two of us had it ah pretty high. But Jeff's, you know, took it over the edge, which is hard candy.
00:21:10
Speaker
And I'll have him talk about it first. the But I went back and even though this is one of those songs that when they play live now, i'm like, OK, I've heard it a lot. I go back and I was just rereading the lyrics the other day and I It's so Counting Crows, these lyrics. And it's I thought it was a great way to kick off.
00:21:28
Speaker
And about the, you know, yeah. Anyway, i'll Jeff, i'll I'll let you go before I pinpoint any particular lyrics. But Jeff, why did you have this as your favorite song from Hard Candy? My number one song, right.
00:21:40
Speaker
OK, well, probably things that people will say. It's one of their obviously greatest uptempo songs. I think maybe they're one of their all time best. They're a band that um I think is uncomfortable in fourth gear, like 1492 gear.
00:21:55
Speaker
Have You See Me Lately? Like that's not their their comfort zone. But this is a great like uptempo song for them. And the production's incredible. Bringing Matthew Sweet on, I think, was the stroke of genius, um not only for his ability to do what he does on the song, but also as a sort of nod to the Incredible Girlfriend album, that if if that album meant something to you, then having Matthew Sweet on this song means something to you.
00:22:23
Speaker
um i And I think like, know, hear songs like I was thinking of Daylight Fading and Rain King, even as songs that would be in the same kind of vein. No, I actually said that.
00:22:34
Speaker
I think it's not lyrically, but the song. Yeah. I think I think it's a Rain King sequel in a way. Yeah. It feels like it. um To me, this is the band at the height of their power, showing the world what they're capable of and what they are doing. The production is, you know, just everything that they wanted to achieve on this album.
00:22:54
Speaker
The harmonies, everything that they wanted to achieve. But here's why. and I think I imagine that others will share, you know, sort of. those sentiments, but to me, why it's my number one song, and maybe this is what I was exactly what I was talking about with the last song was that for me, this song just um means so much. You know, it has like a very personal connection to where I was in my life when this song came out and how this, how I feel about it. So I'm just going to say that and then leave it at that.
00:23:28
Speaker
Yeah, I agree. because i also had it you i I'm trying to think if we were the highest ranked. No, let's go to Brent. Brent, you had it as your number three. I had it as my number five. So we'll go to you next. Yeah, ah Jeff, you said you like New Frontier more than ah why should you come when I called. So I didn't think we'd be seeing eye to eye on anything.
00:23:46
Speaker
um But apparently we do. This is one of three songs on the album that I would say I have no negative notes for. I think it's it fits perfectly as an opener. um i've always This album came out at the beginning of July. It's always really felt like a summer album to me.
00:24:01
Speaker
And that imagery in this song to me give i don't kind of creates that summer feel. He says the word summer multiple times, but um it's a great song. It's a great opener. To me, it really fits with the album.
00:24:15
Speaker
um So I don't really have too much specific to say other than ah It's a good song. And Jeff, I'm back with you. so yeah I'll go next. Yeah, it's funny because you're absolutely right, I guess. And I'm looking at the lyrics as we talk here, but it's a summer song, but it's that nostalgic, right? In certain Sundays in November, it's looking back to the, and and this song, what I like Adam the most, and this comes up again, I love him when he's both like,
00:24:41
Speaker
or nostalgic, melancholy, but still also positive, where he has like five different, um you know, optimism and pessimism all in the same. and he's even talked about that a little bit. I mean, Mr. Jones is even like that in a way.
00:24:53
Speaker
um But yeah, and and to your point, Brent, and kind of what I said when I, gosh, it's really hard for me to fathom, but it's true that you could actually have a song called Hard Candied.
00:25:06
Speaker
And this song really does feel like it should be called Hard Candy. And as I said, I think it's it's a lemon drop Hard Candy. But that gives you that nostalgic feeling with a little bitter, but it's still sweet. So yeah, I had in my top five. And yeah, maybe we'll have to talk to you some other time about the some of the actual lyrics. But I don't think there's one bad lyric in this um in this song.
00:25:27
Speaker
So let's go to the two people that had it. You know, high, but not as high, which would be Chris. And then we'll go to Brent. You had it about number eight in the middle. Yeah. Yeah, and this is, I think I mentioned sort of, there's like kind of a line of demarcation when I was doing my rankings, and this ended up being sort of that line um in terms of like, to to Jeff's sort of like up or down, which I i don't think is quite as strong there. um But I definitely think this is a ah great song. Like, I think everything above there is like, really a ah terrific song.
00:25:57
Speaker
and fact, I was actually kind of surprised. And sometimes it's hard to know. i found I found the kind of middle top of this record a little bit hard to rank because a lot of these songs do sort of different things for me.
00:26:09
Speaker
um And so there was some, I think, some tension, difficulty of of that mushy middle of really good songs where I just... i was and i was so I was surprised this one came out kind of as low as it did, because I do think it's a really spectacular song.
00:26:23
Speaker
I think the lyrics, are as discussed, are tremendous. um On certain Sundays in November when the weather bothers me just... like just a spectacular way to open an album. um and And also, I mean, as ah as a New Yorker, ah The Evening's on Long Island, yes. And then specifically, it's about Jones Beach, and so which is the first place, interestingly, on this tour in 2003. It's the first place I saw The Crows play. So um I'm pretty sure they played that that night.
00:26:51
Speaker
um Although they opened with Rain King. um it's it's a It's a truly, like I think, a great song. I think sometimes... With these songs, with this record in particular, there are songs they have played a lot.
00:27:06
Speaker
And I think in certain ways they have perfected some of those songs. And I think listening to the recorded version of this, again, it's not so dramatically different. It's not like, oh man, they rearrange it. It's a better song.
00:27:19
Speaker
There were certain things like listening to this that felt like they've dialed it just in. And so in some ways, maybe going back to the recorded version, felt like it lost a little something that it didn't, you know, again, like they've only played, i heard, you know, Hard Candy more than 15 times listening to shows on on Nugs last summer, right? And they've played Hard, Why Should You Come When I Call 15 times ever? And most of those are not on tape.
00:27:45
Speaker
So i think there I think that aspect of sort of listening and and the my relationship to, not the songs, I try to always go back to sort of what's on the record, but the way I hear what's on the record relative to... Chris, are you saying, which I think you are, that you prefer the recorded version, that the live... Oh, I prefer the live of the part candy. You prefer the live, okay. I think they've really... It's very subtle, but I think there's certain things that they've really dialed in, like details, that are just so... And in trying to rate the recorded version, I feel like it lost a spot or two in there for me.
00:28:24
Speaker
Again, I'm not saying it's about, i just in in in the sort of difficulty of ranking these excellent songs, um it's sort of, it it fell from, that's why I'm so trying to describe, because I completely agree with Brent and Jeff.
00:28:36
Speaker
ah in terms of how great the song is, why did it end up at number eight? I think that's why, in my mind. Do you, um and and I know we still have to get to Rob, I always just look, i'm just going to mention some of these.
00:28:48
Speaker
and I think they
Lyrical Nuances and Live Performance Impact
00:28:49
Speaker
even do this better later, but there's nothing better with Crows, I think, when the lyric that the lyrics, match ah the the sound matches the imagery, I guess. Like I was thinking, and when you wake, the morning covers you with light, and somehow i' baby with the space, you can actually feel the light covering you. I don't know how they do it.
00:29:06
Speaker
And then I was just reading this part. Right? You love that, right? It feels like the light is covering you. And then um even the one, I'll just read this one verse. I just think it's, anyway, for the fan. You send your lover off to China and you wait for her to call.
00:29:19
Speaker
You put your girl up on the pedestal and then you wait for her to fall. I put my summers back in a letter and hide it from the world. by the way, i don't know how good these lyrics can be from ah with the Instagram age. and And all the regrets you can't forget. So it was like a double rhyme there.
00:29:33
Speaker
Pressed upon a picture of an ordinary girl. So anyway. And listen. little Oh, sorry, but I just going to say, listen to when he's singing, you know, ah put your girl up on a pedestal and wait for her to fall. How the background vocals go from high to low behind him, stair stepping down behind him and following that note. I mean, it's just the production on this is just absolutely brilliant, you know, and it's subtle. You don't necessarily notice those things, but they're in the song and you're hearing them and they're part of the experience of, you know, sort of why, know,
00:30:06
Speaker
You know, I think the song is just so happy it's good. and and a A little trivia. And I think it might I forget. I don't think she now you can correct me, Chris, if it's the actress. i don't want to get into the dating thing. But but the but the one but the girl with the yellow hat that he mentions here who in Hard Candy, you can see. so does it say about a better picture? OK, she wears a silly yellow hat, even though it was released three years prior.
00:30:31
Speaker
that picture of a girl in a yellow hat that he dated is featured in the all my friends video. go watch the All My Friends video. And it's mostly about the band hanging out, but they actually have a little part where they show yeah that photo.
00:30:47
Speaker
And that's one of the photos among other. And I was like, oh, Adam has a type. Because to me, he has a type, like a brunette, kind of all-American girl. And she kind of looks like that too. With a hat. With a hat, yep. So Rob, we didn't get your opinion on Hard Candy, so I don't want to leave you out.
00:31:01
Speaker
No, no, it's fine. I will keep it short and sweet. um I did have it sort of middle of the deck. I think it's a perfect album opener. I think it's a great way to open an album. It's kind of like, we're back, here it is, beautiful lyrics, beautiful song structure. I think it's the second best pop song on the album.
00:31:20
Speaker
um Like if you were going like sort straight pop, like if it it sits in there, but I think the the other one I've got higher because I think is personally... a better song, but as a song, it's beautiful. Like you said, the lyrics, you could just find yourself getting lost in them. And it's just, yeah, a wonderful song.
00:31:37
Speaker
Fantastic. Okay. So now we're to the top three and this is the last song of of of group two. So that means that the top two songs kind of separated themselves from every foot all the other ones.
00:31:49
Speaker
So this was the top, and this was one that kind of did the opposite for me. I think I might have had it at like five or six, and in the and the end, I moved it to number two, which kind of helped it lead this group. And anybody, seems like a lot of times I've been the highest ranking, and here we go again.
00:32:04
Speaker
I had it number two, a couple of you had it number four, and then the other two had it in the middle, and that's Goodnight LA.
00:32:14
Speaker
One reason I had this so high is because I've talked about how, know, like Hard Candy might have been one of my top four songs and now it's not as much. a Holiday in Spain I appreciate more. Some of the songs were never in my top five.
00:32:26
Speaker
but But Goodnight l LA, i I've always loved the song and I still love it. And i'm still mad that they don't play it live because when they did play it and it was a stripped down version of it, right Chris?
00:32:39
Speaker
Mostly just Adam at the piano, yeah. They played it full band a little bit. They actually, i was there in the Gramercy theater in 2008 when they brought it, they kind of like brought back the full band version of it. And they had, after having not played it for a while.
00:32:53
Speaker
And then I don't think after that, it it did not sort of stay in the rotation very much. I'm actually pulling it up right now. Um, yeah, I, it's, it's mostly been played as a, um, as that saying a solo piano thing, opening, essentially opening, um,
00:33:12
Speaker
uh long december long in the long december exactly so i saw it a couple times on that and the lyrics aren't as long there's not as much and here i go if i'm going to count this as a piano ballad even though i know the the album version is not necessarily piano bad i almost think i want to argue that this is my favorite and i even like it more than reading in baltimore which i know will upset chris probably a little bit But um and this also has a thing about sunlight feeling warming warm on his face today. And I feel that sunlight warming his face, just like I did in Hard Candy. So I don't know.
00:33:47
Speaker
The lyrics simple about bringing down his love, but never can get enough. i don't know. meant he By the way, he evokes a wire again when he talks about tart on a wire. I always like those kind of callbacks. yeah Let's go to someone else. I might have more to say, but let's go to someone else who also had it really high, which would be Jeff. Thank you for at least affirming my faith in you a little bit.
00:34:08
Speaker
You had it number four. so Yeah, and and again, ah the the ones that I rank highly, I rank so highly. And this this song's one of my absolute favorites on the album.
00:34:20
Speaker
I think it has ah the second best lyrics on the album. I was today years old when I realized that this song and Goodnight Elizabeth share a similar, the first word of the song title.
00:34:33
Speaker
That's true. Goodnight LA and Goodnight Elizabeth. I didn't realize that until I was writing my notes down today. Um, anyway, amazing performance from the band on this one. uh, and i also think that that, that line, I, to me, that line, um that he works so many times at the end, what brings me down is love.
00:34:54
Speaker
Cause I can never get enough. Um, what a devastating line, you know, and how he works it, uh, over and over again. i think it's one of his most naked performances.
00:35:05
Speaker
um and And where he's just really, my God, his vocal performance is, um I think, the best the best vocal performance on the on the album.
00:35:16
Speaker
ah So I think it's really incredible. Also, for since we're deep dive geeks, um I thought this would be the place to talk about the line Station to Station, which is in here.
00:35:29
Speaker
And that's clearly a reference to the David Bowie album and song. So I don't know if people know about ah the David Bowie album Station to Station and a song Station to Station by David Bowie.
00:35:40
Speaker
But um it's a 1976 album by David Bowie. He was at the height of his fame, but also at the height of his cocaine addiction. He says he doesn't even remember making the album. And the title track, Station to Station, is he takes on this persona, a new persona, as um Bowie did, that he was developing. And the persona is called the Thin White Duke. And he write he references it in the song.
00:36:03
Speaker
And so the Thin White Duke is this cocaine addicted rock star who looks really cool and you know is really cool on the outside and super suave with the ladies. But inside, he's just completely hollow and empty and can't feel anything at all.
00:36:16
Speaker
um And he talks about feeling like an alien. um And one interpretation is he's like on tour going from station to station to all the different shows and um just not, you know, feeling like himself. So, you know, the question, I think that the lyric is clearly a reference to that album. The question is like, how, how much does Adam actually um feel personally connected to it? Or how did he mean it? Cause it's a ah song that's open to interpretation, but um I just thought I would bring that in because ah it's it's kind of a little interesting lyric point and I wonder what he's um getting at there.
00:36:51
Speaker
I think you're honest with them, Jeff, because if you connect that song to say 1492, right, that's definitely about a station to stay a thin white Duke type sort of scenario there.
00:37:02
Speaker
And so, yeah, I think it's, um it is you know, it's interesting because I think some of the more some of the darker songs that relate to this time period don't show up until Saturday nights and Sunday mornings, right? 1492 and Los Angeles are pretty kind of, they're, they're bummers, you know?
00:37:24
Speaker
Um, and so, uh, so was on a Tuesday in Amsterdam. There's some, some real sad stuff. And so it's interesting that, yeah, I think it, there's a, ah a, uh, a sort of,
00:37:37
Speaker
like leveling of the darkness in this record. This is a, this is not exactly an upbeat record, but I think there's some circling darkness that they don't let in. And, and it, um it's kind of interesting to think about that in the, in the sort of, cause it's balanced, right? It's, it's maybe because it's trying to keep a balance, it sort of keeps out the, the very dark stuff, maybe except carriage or something.
00:38:01
Speaker
um But in in I think that's an interesting, that's a good call Jeff. And okay, good. We're going go to Rob in a second. The only other thing I wanted to say but my take on it is that, well, it's we know that Adam's an insomniac, right? and he's talking about that a lot. And that and it really, yeah, I think he does a great job of capturing...
00:38:26
Speaker
staying up all night in your bed. That's what i I think one of the best songs that actually captures that. And also it was shortly after this that he left l L.A. So to me, it has a couple meaning.
00:38:39
Speaker
He's actually going to say good night, L.A. I'm going to leave to Washington Square soon or whatever. and bring his piano and it also is like good night i think in two ways one if he comes out from like a party night or a date and he just can't go to bed after that or some nights that he just stays in because we know from miller's angel sometimes he just stays in all day and he still is up all night in his bed and until the until the morning comes uh rob you also had it quite high so let's talk you Yeah, and number four for me. um i think this is my favorite example of the way that they use space in a song.
Album Complexity and Underrated Tracks
00:39:14
Speaker
I think there's just moments of this of pure just... they They let you sit in the song and just and and and feel it. It doesn't ever feel like it's overcrowded. It doesn't feel like the the you know they're trying to shoehorn anything in. It's just a beautiful, beautiful song.
00:39:29
Speaker
um I think Adam's vocals in it are excellent. um and and i really appreciate the the subtlety of the guitar through the song you don't really feel it in there it's it's just yeah amazing song absolutely incredible hey thank you brent it will go to you you and chris had it i think about the you know about the same you had it uh what would that be about six six yeah i had six i just want to give a shout out to adam we made it what 10 or 11 songs without talking about his inability to sleep
00:40:02
Speaker
I think that's like a personal record when you're talking about Counting Crows songs. Yeah, it's ah it's a really nice song. Rob, totally agree. The space. The space is what I love about it as well.
00:40:12
Speaker
um And Eric, you were talking earlier about that that nice lyric from Hard Candy where the the the sun showers you would light. you get that You get that kind of again here, right? The sunlight feels warm on my face today.
00:40:24
Speaker
um So it almost feels like a companion piece there. But I don't have too much to add. It's just a really nice song. Thank you. And Chris, what's with you with this song? Yeah, i also say i had it at number six and loved the song, and it's ah amazing. um I know you're, Eric, you always talk about how much love Charlie. The organ on this song I think is really wonderful.
00:40:42
Speaker
um I also, again, it's it's interesting. good A lot of this record is that the the connections to, I think there's a lot of connections to the song and the questioning of various things and the sort of cycles maybe Adam is going through. the idea, was thinking about this song in juxtaposition to Richard Manuel, right?
00:41:01
Speaker
ah if i could if If I could give all my love, you know, um i but I can also never get enough of love. That feeling like you're not giving your all, but also it's the only thing you want. And those sort of, the way those things, those feelings sort of come together. I think it's one of the reasons why the album but works very much as a piece because there's sort of not, there's some direct connections between the human songs. But there's also, I think, again, kind of this emotional thread of really trying to understand your relationship to other people, your relationship to the, to the wanting of other people and to love, um giving of yourself and not giving of yourself. And what are you trying to do? Cause I think there's and the confusion of that and the expression of it throughout the record, I think is one of the things that makes this record like such a ah beautiful, like a classic record.
00:41:53
Speaker
you know no No, that's great. the the the two The two songs I was most curious about, how they would work I guess everything else I kind of knew where they would lie, but Goodnight LA and Why Should You Come When I Call, of course, Why Should You Come When I Call, maybe more surprises. But those are the two songs, because you don't really hear people talking about them as much, and i was really those are the two I was most curious about how you would rank them. and And all of you rank them pretty high, just like myself. Well, that's why i was saying that this album is, to me, underrated because some of these songs, to me, like, and this is one of them, but sit alongside their very best material. But you don't hear them, you know, play them live as often and stuff like that. And right people complain, oh, they don't play rating Baltimore live, which is true. They don't really play this. But the same people should also be saying,
00:42:37
Speaker
I want to hear a good night LA lies and they don't. and yeah Well, I'm glad to see this song um making it so high as well. Cause it's even though I had at number four, but I really just think it's a absolutely incredible masterpiece.
00:42:52
Speaker
which leaves us to our top two songs. And im but I'm not surprised about either of these. And both of these, you know, as I said, they're quite a bit higher, right? Where that, that the ranking three, four, five, six, seven was almost kind of a tie in a lot of ways, just a couple of points separating those, but these separate themselves to the top two. So number two,
00:43:10
Speaker
All of us had this in the top three, except for our friend Jeff Harkness. So who somehow managed to fit 12 songs in the bottom seven. I'm just kidding.
00:43:22
Speaker
Up all night is the song. So I will let's start with who had it the highest, which would be Brent who had this number one.
00:43:32
Speaker
So let's go with you.
00:43:35
Speaker
I think the song is the most dynamic on the album. um It's almost symphonic in nature. You've got multiple kind of stanzas of music where the this the style of music speeds up, it slows down.
00:43:48
Speaker
um It's an interesting idea for a song. ah We know he's up all night. We already knew that. We've known that for years at this point, but it is something he likes to sing about. It does seem to really matter to him. um I think he's saying it's too late to get high, which always interpreted as maybe it's literally too late at night or like he's feeling old.
00:44:06
Speaker
um which there's a a lot of lyricism here about time passing him by and looking back at the past. but So to me, it's just it's a really interesting song with a lot of dynamic quality to it. And that's why I have it. Number one.
00:44:20
Speaker
Fantastic. Let's go to um Rob. You had this number two. Yeah, Chris and I had it number three. And I'll explain why. i miss but Rob, what's good to you who had it number two? Yeah, I'm very much in the same boat as Brent there. It's such an incredible song.
00:44:36
Speaker
um The way it sort of... It feels like it's a 12-minute song and they've compacted it into this sort of epic small package that is just... It's it's immovable. It just... Adam's vocals in this are one of his best performances for me.
00:44:54
Speaker
How he manages to just sort of... especially near the end where he's just, and I can't even, like goosebumps even talking about the song. It's just so full of um beautiful moments.
00:45:08
Speaker
um It's that slow and built into this wonderful crescendo of just joy. And yeah, it's that juxtaposition again of like, lyrically it's kind of like, oh, but song-wise it's like really jaunty and yeah, magical stuff.
00:45:26
Speaker
Let's go to Chris Miggs. You and I both had it number three. I'll go to you first. Yeah. I mean, this is, again, it's a another really kind of spectacular song. Interestingly, it's back to back on the record with why should you come when I call. So interesting that they put to to both towards the end of the record, they put two of Adam's best vocal performances kind of like next to each other. because I think, and again, the outro on this, it's again, the outro is really, he's just crushing it. The whole band is crushing it.
00:45:51
Speaker
um It's another song that they've, They haven't played live a lot and they played a lot more again when they had Augustana with them and they could have, you know, a bunch of people singing at once. um I really, I mean, this is kind again, kind of an interesting song. You talk about, Brent talked about the idea, the the line, it's too late to get high.
00:46:10
Speaker
And I took it again, maybe now looking, thinking about this, I hadn't really thought about this before. It's sort of, it's too late. I took it as it's too late to get high in the sense of it's too late to use that to solve your problems.
00:46:21
Speaker
Yeah. Like ah you are too old. not that you can't get high and you can, yeah not that there's anything wrong with that so much as it's too late to just do that.
00:46:32
Speaker
Right. I got stuff to do and I have things to, I've got a life to live and, and just going and getting high is not gonna, it's not gonna cut it. Right. That's there's, there's other stuff here.
00:46:44
Speaker
And so, and that is something again, maybe over the last year, it's like really kind of hit me of just like, what are you, you you know, what, there's other Again, that idea of there's important things to do, and and we have to sort of make our choices in um and how we live our lives and how we enjoy ourselves, because again, if they have a...
00:47:06
Speaker
Everything has an equal and opposite reaction. And sometimes you go, you I could do this now and that might be fun. But like, I've got other stuff to do tomorrow. And I got to think about that.
00:47:17
Speaker
And maybe it's hitting them there. And um because, the you know, Adam does in some of the other songs, this record has that sort of Peter Pan quality. Right. um And he's still maybe, you know maybe Peter Pan.
00:47:29
Speaker
Maybe Peter Pan's going to have to think about a couple of things. um So, yeah, I think it's an incredible song. They haven't played this since 2016. um But again, mostly they've played this, again, with a larger group. So, again, another one where, if they're again, if they're looking down that set list, maybe this is one to to bring back.
00:47:49
Speaker
And the Peter Pan thing started, I guess, with all my friends to go with that, right? my friends are getting married. You know, either this song or Why Should You Come When I Call or both, he actually mentioned once in one interview or something, or I heard him say once, that it was difficult to sing.
00:48:03
Speaker
And maybe that's why he brings in the other group. um with I mean, because that's the thing, right? I mean, when we say these are his best vocal performance on record, he's hitting stuff there. And he's belting at a level that i think I assume is probably not the easiest to do on an every night basis.
00:48:19
Speaker
um That doesn't mean he can't do it a couple times. Occasionally, guys. Bust it out. Or find a different way to do it. I don't know. It's just such a it's such a great song. it's it It hit me. like i One of the things I was curious about going into this was, like do they play the right songs from this record? I was kind of curious. And I think the answer, for the most part, is that they do.
00:48:39
Speaker
And the two exceptions here really are like, hey, they could play Goodnight L.A. Although they played that in 2018, it hasn't been forever. um But Up All Night and Why Should You Come? though Those bolts stick out as like, man, had those.
00:48:50
Speaker
Like, you got to get those out. you know And mean definitely Up All Night. See, that's funny because we've all we all, most of us, except me and Jeff, love Why Should You Come When I Call? But I never see like on Reddit or something people demanding. This one, I see people demanding.
00:49:03
Speaker
Why don't you play Up All Night? Clearly the fans love it. um I mean... you know, lyrically or how it Robert was at you that talked about how it hits you like, you know, deeply. um Yeah, yeah, you're nodding your head. did I in some ways, lyrically, this is clearly my favorite song. We obviously know what the number one song, it but I had to I lowered it, even though this is my favorite, I just had a lower looking at the big picture, I guess, of what may be the best song crafting. Now, now let me just say a couple of things about the lyrics and stuff.
00:49:32
Speaker
Is there nothing more counting crows than hearing that piano in the beginning and being like, is everybody happy now? Is everybody clear? i mean, it's so Adam. I love it so much.
00:49:44
Speaker
And I actually think lyrically for the first two thirds of this song, I would argue it's his top three lyrics of all his songs. Mrs. Potter, I would put above maybe in one song from a future album that we didn't get to yet.
00:49:58
Speaker
um And I love his songs that mixes really, again, I kind of said this about another song that mixes like positivity, positivity, being optimistic, pessimistic, um nostalgic, a little abstract, but also very literal.
00:50:15
Speaker
um I love that part where, and and you talked about maybe Jeff, what you thought was maybe a little bit of misogyny or in your case, a lot in American girls that maybe doesn't, that comes across more playful and why should you come when I call and, you know,
00:50:33
Speaker
um And I think he's perfect here about the, you know, fix your hair just right, put on your jeans on tight, wear a dress so I can get it off real easy. That does not come across misogynistic at all, at least in my opinion. And you even hear Charlie in the back when you kind of feel that the dress is coming off. I don't know if you catch that little part.
00:50:50
Speaker
um But but it's more about, you know, being in love and maybe, you know, rekindling a romance, I think. And when it says when you let when you'd like to see your eyes, I can see the girl's eyes sparkling.
00:51:03
Speaker
when when he's talking and he's feeling that optimism. ah because he opens up real wide the minute he's, you know, that they see each other. But then he has to throw in a little bit of this, hey, if you don't come through, i wouldn't wait for you.
00:51:17
Speaker
Right? But also, I understand everyone goes disappearing, right? It's not that you're a bad person. It's just that people do that. Exactly. so you get a little bit of that romanticism with, like, this grounded, that's just how life is.
00:51:29
Speaker
um But I don't really, that I think the call-out of, like, everyone happy, because I had a note, and I hadn't hit it yet in this, the overall of the record, right? And it's like, all through the record. It's like, are you happy about this or not?
00:51:42
Speaker
Because you're singing it this way, but if I read the words, I don't know. and and I think the answer is that he doesn' it like he doesn't know. He doesn't know if he's happy about this or not. Maybe it seems pretty awesome sometimes, and other times it seems pretty sad. And sometimes the awesome moments...
00:51:59
Speaker
are also the saddest moments. And so that sort of disorientate, emotionally disorienting, like the music and the sort of the way the lyrics hit the music. I think it it's all of a piece on this record where you just go like, I, at the end you go, I don't, how is he doing? I'm not really sure.
00:52:17
Speaker
um and I, mean I think he's going, I'm not really sure either. Is everybody happy now? Might be a question to himself, you know? Yeah. Yeah. And, and, And Eric, you were asking about, you know, why why should I come when I call? You don't hear people request that very much. That just feels almost like a ah fun song with kind of an easy topic, right?
00:52:35
Speaker
Up All Night to me just feels like it feels like a really important song. Like it's complex. We could sit here and talk about the lyrics for a while. And i think that's why fans like it so much. Yeah, I agree. And plus, musically, it's great. And by the way, Brent, another mention, the daylight, because it's just waiting for the daylight to come calling. So it goes back to even the daylight fading.
00:52:52
Speaker
might The only reason I moved this, this is the one that would, yeah maybe a holiday in Spain now, I would never would have thought that before, but the I'm saying the two that could get me the most emotional, and I guess Goodnight LA, of course.
00:53:03
Speaker
But um the only reason I dropped this down from number one to three is even though I like the It's Too Late to Get high and that last third, i don't think it's,
00:53:14
Speaker
perfect and i think it almost crescendos at the at the part about the um disappearing into the greatest grade that covers over every day to me that kind of crescendo and then the all night just kind of goes i still you know a nine out of ten for me or 95 out of 100 but uh where i don't think it is perfect the whole way through but anyway that's my i take and we still have to write who didn't talk about this song yet anybody yeah jeff jeff Yeah, well, I had it ranked number six, but not because um i think it belongs anywhere lower on the list. The songs on this album that I love, I love with a capital L. And this one, this could be number one on this album. It's so great. It's a beautiful song, gorgeously sung by Adam with amazing lyrics.
00:54:04
Speaker
Apparently it was like one or two takes, so it just went down really quickly. um i i think everyone else's comments have have been um you know said lot of the great qualities one thing i just wanted to we kind of talked about the number of ballads on this album and um as eric talked about the very adam opening with adam on the piano it's like there aren't a lot more of these songs coming from the band actually there's on a tuesday in amsterdam and possibility days but um
00:54:34
Speaker
This is the last album that's full of ballads, you know like this, like August kind of was, and this one kind of is. and i thought i always thought even at the time it was a brave move to put out an album with so many ballads on it because you know that's not necessarily what the audiences want or the record companies want. But to me, what's so great is like here's ah here's another ballad And they're like, it's another great ballad. It's like, man, this little guy could just turn out great ballad after great ballad after great ballad. And so um I think also maybe that's why the one was so popular, got so popular, his version of the one, because it's another like Adam at the piano doing a ballad. You almost wish they would do more of these. And and again, another one where
00:55:20
Speaker
you feel like, I think the reason the band doesn't do it is probably because there are too many high notes for Adam to hit. And so when he's in a crowd with other singers, he can, he can maybe do it,
Ballads and Vocal Delivery
00:55:29
Speaker
but there are some songs he said he just can't do. And this, this is probably goes in that category, but.
00:55:36
Speaker
Another masterpiece, you know, like like I said, it's it went low on my list only because I think that's the other part of what makes an album great is like your own personal connection to it. You know, like that's the other missing piece. Like a band can put out an album, but then how do you respond to it as a as not just a fan, but as a listener or whatever, human being? And so...
00:55:59
Speaker
These songs are so personal and we all connect to them for different reasons. But this is another 10 out of 10, you know, song for me. And, um you know, to it only went on the list because there are other songs that like connected to my life in some way more personally ah than even this one did. But this one did, too. You know, so I love it.
00:56:20
Speaker
I love it. Great song. Great. So that leaves us with the number. I think I said everything there. So that leaves us with the number one in song. which may be not a surprise and we figured it out by now would be Miami.
00:56:34
Speaker
Now, two of us had that as the number one, myself and Rob and then Looks like Chris had it, what, number two? Number Jeff, number two, and Brent, number four.
00:56:46
Speaker
I mean, surprisingly, I don't have a lot to say about it. I guess I just... It's funny. it's my I guess i don't even know if it's my favorite. I just think it's the best song. It's a very hard candy song. I think I've said before, I heard this live before they released it, and I thought, this is a powerful song.
00:57:01
Speaker
When this is... Now I've heard it, they play it so much live, I don't need to hear it, but... it Talk about a crescendo that is kind of you know that is powerful. And I've mentioned before, if you go back to the Pink Pop, where they played this to to a group of, what, tens of thousands, and everybody's jumping around to the end of Miami.
00:57:19
Speaker
um I just think it's a real original, fantastic song with some very Atom lyrics. Brent, talk about you and Miami. Yeah. So um I had it fourth, um which is outside of my three songs that I really, really, really liked.
00:57:33
Speaker
um and I do have a little bit of critique or criticism for this. And I want to get y'all's feedback on this. because I'm actually really curious how you feel about it. Um, you real nitpicky at this topic point, right? Keep in mind, I have this number four on one of my favorite albums, so yeah I still really love the song.
00:57:47
Speaker
Um, so a couple of the lyrics, uh, can I say, ah wish that this weather would never leave. It just gets hard to believe that God sent this angel to walk, watch over me. It, what, what are those two things connect? Like, uh,
00:58:01
Speaker
can I say I wish this weather would never leave has nothing to do with the prior sentence or the following sentence. um What do y'all think about that lyric? I think it's all the the thing about the the connection of anything in this song is that the song is about like pretty much like like a moment in time.
00:58:20
Speaker
Right. And so it's like, it's kind of capturing sort of all these fleeting feelings, um you know, and that like, And I think the weather, the weather aspect there is everything feels perfect. I'm in Miami.
00:58:35
Speaker
The sun is hitting me. I have this angel of a girlfriend or an angel of a, ah something that has bestowed this girlfriend on me or whoever this is. Um, but this is going to get fucked up, right? I'm too dumb to fuck, you know? And it's like, I think it's the, the weather is just sort of, uh, well, and put it this way, right?
00:58:55
Speaker
If Adam Duritz is the rain King, that him wishing this weather would never leave is a real, that's a real turnaround. It's like ah emotionally, I think. Yeah. and I get it. It's sort of like a little disconnected, and like within the context of the song, but it does, it's never, it's never like taken me out of it, I guess.
00:59:14
Speaker
Okay. okay Okay. Great. so I feel like just when he's explained the song live, cause he's often does this sort of intro to it live where he talks about waiting at the airport in Miami and ah for this plane to land and thinking, you you know, i mean, this again, it's like what makes the song so great, I think, is when you, I guess when I heard him explain it, it's like, maybe, thank you, Adam. I always wondered why I love this song so much. And you explaining it makes it, you know, like,
00:59:41
Speaker
it's so specific to him. And that's the same thing about hard candy. He's talking about the evenings on long Island. It's like, I've never had an evening on long Island, but somehow I still feel whatever he meant when he sang that and wrote that I still like somehow connected to my life and, and feel it somehow. And I think that this song is the same way.
01:00:00
Speaker
I like that line just because again, you know, he's standing at an airport um waiting for a plane to land And, you know, metaphorically, there's just so much more going on, you know, like this whole thing, ah this whole relationship is about to go in a whole different direction. and he sort of knows that. And he knows when this plane lands that it's all going to be over, that, you know, the the dream will end. Okay. And so to me, yeah i just like that, that he's kind of setting the scene with the weather and and and all of that. Okay. The bittersweet thing.
01:00:33
Speaker
part of it. Yeah. Yeah. I'm trying to figure out how we get this to number one, you know? So the other one real quickly. yeah Yeah. ah Make a circle in the sand, make a halo with your hands. I'll make a place too for you to land.
01:00:44
Speaker
That feels like the most important moment in the album to me, but I'm also like, what the hell is he talking about? Like making a circle in the sand, i'll make a halo with your hand. Like, what is he talking about? um i don't know. and It's still a great song. So I'm just being very critical at this point.
01:00:58
Speaker
Oh, that moment live. I don't know when he, it's great. hand Yeah. um ah know this sir I know. He's standing on a basically on an airport that's based it on a beach in Miami. The circle is probably just sort of their you know the the plane. and He's circling it in his mind. and and okay yeah um The halo is the angel. yeah And I'll make a place. He's literally asked. It's a metaphorical landing, too. yeah Like, it's yeah it's the landing, but it's also the landing. i yeah You know? Okay. so Sorry. I think he's waiting for the connection.
01:01:32
Speaker
I think he's waiting for that to be complete. Because he's talking about making a circle in the sand, making a halo with his hands. He's talking about bringing it all together and making the connection of... Sorry to jump in and...
01:01:44
Speaker
yeah this Yeah, yeah. This is my number one for many, many reasons. But he the start of the song is, I guess I think I feel all right. So he's not sure where he is. He's not sure what he's doing. He's not sure where he's going.
01:01:58
Speaker
Harking back to exactly what you said in the previous song. But this angel that is getting brought to him in this moment from this flight is making that connection, and he feels like he's getting completed.
01:02:10
Speaker
Again, that's just my read of that song and that moment, because especially after that moment, and then they do that... absolutely incredible and then the whole song just takes off and goes completely stratospheric is just so that's that's what my take on it is that he's looking for that connection and waiting for that connection to be there with him and and take that moment forward and especially i think the reason this song goes number one for me is because of the connection i have with it live
01:02:43
Speaker
the the When he does this song live, the whole you see the whole band love this song. There is just something about them playing this song live that is... It's it's so special.
01:02:54
Speaker
it's It's my favourite Counting Crows song of everything they've done, ah lyrically, musically, and I think... we're talking about their pop album. This is the perfect pop song.
01:03:06
Speaker
There is not a more perfect pop song that Counting Crows could do, and that's what this is for me. So, Rob, in your mind, it's a real lost opportunity that this was not released as a single, right? You're talking about getting getting crowding getting people to like Counting Crows that weren't traditionally fans but still get exposed to a song that's very Counting Crows.
01:03:27
Speaker
Yeah, this was an opportunity for that. Yeah, I think that opportunity is there, but I think probably because it's not released as a single, gives it more importance to Counting Crows fans as it exists. um Yeah, ah if you're a fun you'll find it.
01:03:42
Speaker
if If you want to find the band, you'll find this song anywhere. Sorry, Brett, I know you're looking at it. Yeah, was this this was a single though, right? Kinda. Well, yeah, we think, but no video, no CD single. And, and I, and I still want to be, proof I still want proof it was played on the radio anyway.
01:03:58
Speaker
I've heard it a few times on the radio, but there's ah there's allegedly a radio edit. That's about three and a half minutes. Yeah. I don't think I've ever heard that version of the song. Yeah. now No, no, no. I like I've listened to that once or twice in my life and it's just, it's somewhere on a hard drive.
01:04:13
Speaker
ah So Chris, you had this, not number one, you had it number number two. Number two also. Yeah. I mean, and, and really, I mean, you could make a, I think happens to make case for this at number one. um But i you know, I, I had a statement to make, so, you know, that my number one was an easy call for me in that regard.
01:04:29
Speaker
um But no, Miami is an amazing song. It's a There's a beautiful, the acoustic versions, 2008, I think the best year for this song is 2008, when they started adding that middle section to it. And those first times when they were figuring that out, there's some incredible versions on the 2008 tour. But what they were doing, they played it almost every night, but they would alternate between an electric and acoustic version. And to Jeff's point, I mean, there's some beautiful acoustic versions that are a little bit less guitar heavy, kind of obviously, because they're not
01:05:00
Speaker
hanging on the electric guitars nearly as much. um I think yeah it's it's a masterpiece lyric that, but like, again, it's a very classic Counting Crows and the sort of, we're taking this moment in time and we're just extrapolating it forward, back, and everywhere.
01:05:17
Speaker
i kind of, part of what I love about those 2008 versions, which they still include the middle part now, right? The, like, um if you knew everything, well, you know, what would you do? um But there was, they were much longer versions versions of that. but I think there's a lot of great stuff in there.
01:05:32
Speaker
So much of this record is retrospective, right? I'm remembering things. This is an album about memory. You know, Richard Manuel's death, the pictures in a drawer. um This is a, this is and A song that's about where he is at that moment and forward looking, right? He's like, I know I'm going to screw this up, but maybe let's go let's go try and have some fun in New Orleans.
01:05:56
Speaker
Maybe that'll fix it. It won't. um We all know. he Again, and to I think someone made the point earlier of like those things like in Mr. Jones or in Holiday in Spain. You know that shutting it down in New Orleans is not it's not going to solve these problems. But it might be real fun.
01:06:10
Speaker
and And why not try, I guess. um But it may be too late to get high. And that's where these songs, they come called this album comes together so well. Like a circle in the sand. But it's also good Belinda Carlisle song, notably. But there's an interesting thing when they do those versions in 2008 because now the song is retrospective.
01:06:31
Speaker
Now he's singing about a moment where he was thinking about the future and he knows what he did and he fucked up. And now he's remembering that moment where he was thinking about the future. And you have this sort of kind of fascinating emotional circle that happens in those versions that is, I think, it's...
01:06:48
Speaker
Again, it's kind of great and very classic crows of of the recrimination, right? It's a it's a very – those versions are very recriminating towards Adam, right? He's basically saying, like, this was my fault.
01:07:03
Speaker
I am an asshole, and I destroyed something that I knew was meaningful to someone else. And, man, if you've ever been in a position where you're, like, you're the one – leaving and the other you know like it is that is a heavy thing and I've connected to that that like you're making a decision that you know that other person is it's like you're gonna devastate someone but you have to do it for yourself but like it's a pretty sad thing to do um it's ah man it's like It's a classic song and it's a beautiful. And again, I think it's one that's only, it's pretty great on the record and it's only sort of improved and evolved over time as a live.
01:07:40
Speaker
Also notably, um the song they have played the most from this record, um very Holiday in Spain is very close. Setless.fm has Miami at 648 and Holiday in Spain at 643.
01:07:52
Speaker
no No song is in 150, within 150. Hard Candy and If I Could Give All My Love are next in the 400s. And then it tapers pretty quickly. There's a ah sort of a grouping of Goodnight LA, Black and Blue, American Girls, Good Time, Butterfly and Reverse that are all like 130 to 200. And then it really starts to taper with New Frontier, Up All Night, Carriage, Why Should You Come? Like, you know, who barely been played.
01:08:14
Speaker
um But really interesting that that it's they know it's one of the best ones. um And i think I think it's the right call. I think it's it doesn't bother me that they play it a lot because I think it's one of their classics.
01:08:27
Speaker
Yeah, and the crescendo near the end, I think even someone who doesn't know Cannon Crows, it's definitely a song that you could hear it for the first time and like it, I guess. is and And those are always good songs to play live.
Final Thoughts on Hard Candy's Impact
01:08:40
Speaker
Okay, fantastic. Well, there we go. Three hours about Hard Candy. Yeah, right. a album that I love. And yeah, I'm i'm still Jeff. I'll never give you a heart that like your favorite Counting Crows album, you're the most critical, which I understand you're critical. My favorite album, but also I think, yeah, one that i'm I'm critical of, but that also means that obviously ah the songs that I love, I love so much. And how many bands put out an album with seven, eight, nine, incredible, incredible songs on them.
01:09:12
Speaker
No one, you know, like even, even so to me, it's like, look, you know, you, you just put a piece of work here that has this many high quality songs, then I'm, I'm a hundred percent all in. And I think the good stuff here is, is, um, it was just, and even his long interview recently, guess want to say I'll end with, um, unless someone has some other ending comments that, uh,
01:09:35
Speaker
not only do I love this album and to me, it gives me hard candy about when can kind of crown and crows were still in the zeitgeist, I guess, and still on the top of their game, even though love them so much. And also, um but people, um you know, not only James Campion mention he loved this album, but the I think the long interview that Adam did recently, i forget, but the last couple of podcasts, I think the guests who are the hosts who might not know as much, not might definitely don't know, or as big fans of the crows as we are,
01:10:05
Speaker
have said, you know, I think your album Hard Candy is unappreciated. So even, i guess, moderate Counting Crows fans, I guess, have come to the realization of this. So yeah I think and thank everybody.
Closing and Guest Appreciation
01:10:15
Speaker
So ah Brent, I just want to say thank you for joining us on the podcast today.
01:10:19
Speaker
Thank you so much. was an absolute pleasure. and And Rob, thank you for coming from and you know the UK and living now in Australia. And we'll have to get your, you know if they if they tour Australia again, we'll have to get you on the field as our reporter.
01:10:35
Speaker
so Absolutely. I'd love to come back on. It's been really enjoyable. Thank you very much.
01:10:52
Speaker
I'm